WVU fires men's basketball associate head coach Larry Harrison after 16 seasons

Justin Jackson, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.
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Jan. 12—MORGANTOWN — Larry Harrison's tenure as WVU's top basketball assistant coach is over.

The school announced it had parted ways with Harrison, who has been on staff since Bob Huggins was hired in 2007 and was the lead recruiter and scout for many of WVU's hoops recruits.

Harrison, 67, has spent 16 years at the school, the last 13 as the associate head coach. He also spent eight seasons as Huggins' assistant at Cincinnati and was formerly the head coach at the University of Hartford from 2000-06.

"I want to thank Larry for his years of service to Mountaineer basketball, and I wish him well in his future endeavors, " head coach Bob Huggins said in a press release.

Harrison, a native of Greenville, N.C., as well as Huggins did not return messages left for them by The Dominion Post.

Harrison's time at WVU covered the program's rise through the Big East, and the Mountaineers won the 2010 Big East tournament and advanced to the 2010 Final Four.

WVU also played in five Sweet 16s and in 10 NCAA tournaments overall with Harrison on staff.

Conference realignment saw the school move into the Big 12 in 2012, where WVU appeared in three Big 12 tournament championship games from 2016-18.

More recent seasons have been a struggle, though, beginning in the 2018-19 season, in which the Mountaineers lost a school-record 21 games.

Last season, WVU finished last in the Big 12 with a 4-14 league record and the Mountaineers are off to an 0-4 start in Big 12 play this season.

Over the past five seasons, WVU is 28-47 during the regular season in Big 12 play with just one winning record in conference play during that time.

According to Harrison's contract, his buyout will pay him what's remaining of his $302, 357 yearly salary, plus any incentives that have been earned.

If Harrison takes another job that pays him more than what he is owed by WVU, the school does not have to pay him his buyout, or if he takes a job that pays him less than what he is owed, the school would only have to pay him the difference between his new salary and his buyout figure.

A search for Harrison's replacement will begin immediately, the school said.

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